Between his arms
by sweetandsocold
Summary: AU. Dean's back from hell, and gets a call from a girl he hooked up a year ago or so. She will bring him news that'll change his life forever. Dean Winchester has to learn to be a father, to a girl he wants to keep away from any danger. (Story takes place at the beginning of season 4).
1. Samantha

**Chapter 1: Samantha.**

She was so tiny, so incredibly tiny, that when he saw Jen get off her car and take the little creature from her baby seat, he thought she may break. But she didn't. Jen hadn't changed a bit. Which wasn't completely a good thing, because she still looked like she would strangle him if she got the chance. He still wondered why did he came. Or why did he got laid with her in the first place. Jen stood in front of him, flame burning in her eyes.  
˝I called you months ago. Why didn't you pick up?˝ Was the first thing she said. She was really mad.  
˝I was busy. Some business to attend.˝ He felt quite lame, yet telling her he was dealing how to play Houdini with a demon to not get his soul sent to hell would not please Jen any better.  
˝Busy with business. Why is it that it doesn't surprise me, Dean Winchester?˝ Her attitude was completely sharp, and he could tell she was no happy to have to see him again. He didn't remember had told her his real name but, then again, the way she said his name turned him on so hard, he didn't try a thing just because of the baby in her arms. The little being cooled him down immediately.  
˝So, why do I have the pleasure to see you again, Jen?˝ He gave her a proud half smile, his "macho" face and his self confidence taking control of his actions. But one more time, the baby in her arms made him calm down. And he really noticed her for the very first time. She had glassy blue-green eyes, and even that young, you could see little freckles in her nose. The bare hair that covered her small delicate head, that looked more like lint than real hair, was blonde. Golden blonde, that made it shine under the electric lights that illuminated the sidewalk they were standing on.  
Behind them, a little park was giving room to young couples to make out and homeless men to get drunk. Dean looked at the baby girl once again. He could tell she was a girl, not only for her pastel pink baby clothes, but for something about her that gave her no other option but to be a baby girl. How old could she be? She wasn't older than three months or something but, then again, he was no expert on kinds. Yet he really liked them, despite whatever people thought of him.  
˝I didn't come here because I were really looking forward to meet you again. I already had lost hope on you picking up the phone. But you did. And you agreed to see me. And although I hate you˝ Dean couldn't help an expression of surprise, ˝I thought I owe you at least... to let you know.˝ She drew her eyes aside, and he felt uneasy.  
˝Know what, Jen?˝ The way she'd say it made him nervous, and anxious. He'd been shaking his right leg all that time. He was to go back soon. Sammy would worry. He had to look after him, not to make him worry. But Jen kept biting her bottom lip, seeming uncomfortable, and looking everywhere but him. He held her by her shoulders, and shook her softly. Just to get her attention, being specially careful with the baby. She looked at the peaceful baby in her arms, who was quiet, and had not made a noise in all that time. She was still, staring with her glittery baby eyes at Dean. Then, Jen looked up at Dean, and he got it. He actually had gotten it a while ago, but he didn't process it. Now he did.  
˝Is she...?˝ Was the only thing he managed to say. Jen just nodded. He reached out to his daughter, the beautiful, fragile doll, but Jen drew herself and the baby back.  
˝Don't˝ she said.˝ She might have your DNA, but she's not your daughter, Dean. And you're not her father. I called you for months. I was really scared. You had your chance.˝  
˝But I couldn't make it. I swear. I was in something really important, but Jen, if you...˝  
˝If what, Dean? I've had enough of you. I will stick around in town for tonight, and tomorrow you'll sign the papers and you'll give me full custody and that's it. She's **my** daughter.˝  
˝She is my daughter too.˝  
˝Her name is Samantha _Foam_. There's no Winchester in her. And after tomorrow, there'll never be.˝  
˝What if I don't sign those papers? Then what, sis? Tell me what are you gonna do to keep me away from _my_ daughter.˝  
˝I'll gather every girl you've laid with I can get, and every bartender who's ever sold you a drink, and I'll get the custody. And I'll get you a restraining order.˝

When Jen left, he felt so helpless. He kicked a trash can that stood on his way, back to the motel. Sam was waiting him with an expression of disapproval. And asked him about the demon they were hunting. And then he remembered. He only had a moment of thoughtful silence before he panicked inside and took his keys and murmured "Sammy" with horror before running out of there to the parking lot.  
Sam followed him confused. What had happened to his brother? He was pale, and he'd called him like he weren't there. Like if he were in trouble. Dean dialed the phone. Over and over. No one picked up. At a certain time, Sam freaked out.  
˝Okay, what's up? What's wrong with you, Dean?˝ Dean seemed to notice him for the first time.  
˝You wouldn't believe me.˝  
˝Try me˝ he was really concerned by his older brother.

By the time they reached the hotel, they had called already the other two four stars hotels in that "big town". Dean seemed so calm, yet so strangely quiet and still, it scared him. But now Dean had a daughter, and now his daughter was in danger, and although the thought was strange, he realised it made many things different. Before he could plan anything, Dean was already flirting with the receptionist in order to get the information they needed. The demon they were tracking down was specially delighted by possessing mothers and making them kill their newborn children. He just hoped everything to work out okay.  
When they made it to the room, his hands were shaking softly. He couldn't explain it, but when he saw and noticed that baby, he felt it was his duty to keep her unharmed. They broke in, and everything was dark. The place looked empty. and when he opened the wardrobe door, Jen's body fell over him, her throat slayed. And his face tensed and darkened, and inside him he felt helpless and scared. And he wanted to cry.  
Sam called him up. Inside the oven of the suite, which luckily wasn't on, was Samantha. Yet the oven was hermetic, and she hadn't been breathing for a while. Sam was about to drag her out, but Dean made him aside and took her himself.  
She was so tiny, so incredibly tiny he thought she may break. But she didn't. She was so, so still, and Dean couldn't help a tear when he thought her dead. The wind blew through the open window, and he closed his eyes, in hope of everything would disappear. When he opened them, tho glassy blue-green eyes were staring at him. And she sort of smiled.  
˝Sammy!˝ He whispered, and he hugged her softly, holding her tightly but carefully against his chest. And his arms felt so big for such a fragile, little, beautiful creature. But she fitted perfectly in the arch of his arms, and he cried. And he swore he would protect her. He forgot all his walls in front of her.  
And Sam stared astonished, and granted a secret wish before looking away, because he knew that even then, his brother didn't want him to see him cry.


	2. Baptism

**Chapter 2: Baptism.**

Although they were not precisely "good christians", they were all standing in the church. He was no good at showing care, but he really liked the people that was there with him. Just the closest.  
Sammy, Ellen, Jo and Bobby. They had been some very hard months, hunting the thing that killed Jen and almost killed his daughter. That, and learning how to be a father. He had no clue how his father had raised Sammy and him. Probably being old enough to look after Sammy when their father was hunting made things way easier. He bet it did.  
The first time he had to change Samantha's diaper was, now, sort of hilarious. Out of nothing she smelled like hell and she started crying. He freaked out.  
˝Sam? Sam! Sammy!˝ He had called panicked in the bathroom of the motel room. When "uncle Sam" had made his appearance, Dean's panic face made him laugh to tears. That was the very first time they called Ellen. She listened quietly to the whole story and sighed at the end of it. She gave them instructions and urged Dean to take his daughter to meet her. Also threatened him to kill him if he screwed up.  
Things changed quite a bit, too. They had to carry Samantha everywhere. He had to put a babysit in the backseat of his car, and carry around a bag with baby stuff as well. Sam and him took turns to pretend being agents, or detectives, or whatever; because someone had to stay with little Sammy in the car. He also felt like a moron everytime he went to buy diapers, feeding bottles or pacifiers. Or when he had to go to buy baby clothes. Yet he took the delicacy, each time, to look after nice clothes that weren't that much pink. The look the women gave him when he was carrying Sammy was "tender" not hot, not anymore. Plus, the number of times people thought of he an his brother as homosexuals increased now they went with Sammy to almost everywhere.  
He had to do a lot of boring business too. Like making sure his daughter was registered as Samantha Winchester but had nothing to do with his own criminal record, in order to give her a normal life. Or the closest to normal he could manage to give her. Also, he had to check where and when his daughter was born. He wouldn't like to make up her birthday. 17th June, Ashland, Oregon. Noted.  
But he was not going to make his father's mistakes. He was going to raise his daughter to be a really nice lady, and to marry a really... no, and to make a nun of her or something like that. No teenager's dark dirty mind or intentions would get near his daughter.  
He still wasn't completely used to it, and he would still forget her in the car or in the motel room for a couple minutes from time to time. But, truth was, he was really happy to have Sammy. It had been a sort of cure for all the bad things he had gone through so far. Like a chance to finally make things right. He was even proud, like that morning, when he dressed her up all in white and put a little hair clip on her real short, soft, thin golden hair.  
Her eyes were greener now. They were closer to his. It was difficult to tell, but he was almost sure she had her mother's snub nose, so tiny, although freckled, like his.

The priest arrived, eventually. It was four in the afternoon. After that, they were heading to Bobby's and he'd finally get his chance to get drunk, because Ellen was definitely going to be with Sammy all the time. She loved his daughter so much, it surprised him how willing she was to brake his neck that morning, on the other hand.  
He was wearing a suit, which he hated with his soul. He gave Sam an angry look.  
˝Why are we doing this, again?˝ He asked.  
˝Happy normal memories for her normal life.˝  
˝She's six months, Sam, she won't remember a thing.˝  
˝We've already gone through this, Dean. Now just stick to the plan.˝

It was totally incredible for them how the priest had been possessed for so long. Three days now. Maybe it was because it hadn't been Sunday, yet. Which meant that by Sunday he'd be gone, and they couldn't miss this opportunity. It was the best lead to Lilith they'd had so far. They couldn't screw up.  
A expected, the priest said "hi" without the current blessing, and started to apologize because he was "sick" and could not perform the ceremony in fear to spread his "flu" to the baby. Dean, who was holding Sammy, asked Jo to hold her for him.  
˝Father, is there any possibility, to do this soon?˝ Asked Sam.  
˝I don't know...˝  
˝Please, Father, we would like to rearrange the ceremony for the soonest possible. Let's talk about it˝ said Dean, pushing him gentle but insistently towards the east entrance, a door that led to the church's garden. The garden had a really thick grass, growing wildly, with different lengths all over. In a corner created by the church's walls, there was a fountain, water pouring with a quite relaxing sound. They walked towards it.  
˝You know, "father",˝ Dean started. ˝It is quite interesting this, uh, "sickness" of yours.˝  
˝Yeah, in fact, we have studied our little bit of medicine˝ lied Sam, as they usually did. ˝And we're worried about your health.˝  
˝Looks like you haven't been eating enough, I mean, human souls are more and more difficult to get nowadays.˝  
The demon'd known from a few moments ago the trouble he was in, but he didn't desperate. He knew that, if he played his cards well, he may have a chance.  
˝Sam and Dean Winchester.˝ He said with a smile. ˝So nice to see you out of hell, Dean. Nice daughter, by the way. Did they pull you out of hell with her? Because she'll be a hell of a chick. No pun intended.˝  
Dean went for a punch. He wouldn't let a filthy son of a bitch to talk about his daughter in any way. But the demon knew better, and he lifted him and threw him against the wall. Same did with Sam, after struggling for a few seconds. Then came Bobby, but he wasn't much help either. When Ellen came, she gave the demon a nice bath in holy water. Sam made himself out of the demon power, and caught him from the back, pulling him and himself into the fountain.  
The demon started to burn with the holy water all around him. He tried to get out of the fountain, but he couldn't. In the bottom of it, a _devil's trap_ had been drawn. Jo came around then. Samantha was in her arms, and Dean and her mother gave her an acid look for that, yet the little girl didn't cry or seem frightened at all for the demon's presence.  
˝What a brave, impressive girl you've got there, Winchester.˝ The demon said. ˝I bet Azazel would've settled his yellow eyes on her˝ muttered between pain growls. Everyone just smiled. That demon was finished.  
˝Where's Lilith?˝ Dean demanded.  
˝Between the legs of your precious girl˝ was all the demon said, the pain in his expression and in his voice. They all knew he wasn't going to talk. Dean'd had enough of him, he just gave them the "finish him" look.  
The one to say the words was Jo. Samantha was in her ams, and she was calm and quiet, as she was seeing everything with her baby glossy eyes.  
˝_Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversamii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo, draco maledicte. Ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias liberate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.˝ _And the demon was gone.  
˝Happy normal memories for a normal life, right, Sam?˝  
˝Hey, you were the one saying she's not gonna remember any of this.˝  
˝And I truly hope so.˝

Even although the baptism was an excuse for the hunt, the priest turned out to be alive, and pretty much okay. He thanked them and, in that very fountain, he baptised Samantha, against Dean's repetitive "is not necessary" indirect declination. The old man had a really good sense of humor, and really stubborn manners.  
They had planned to drink some beers together after the hunt, and so they did. Jo finally got the opportunity to meet Samantha properly, for she hadn't seen the little girl before that day.  
˝Impressing how beautiful she is, considering you are her father.˝ She told Dean. He only smiled proudly.  
˝Give me back my daughter, grumpy girl.˝ He said, and a not very willing Jo handed him his daughter.  
He said he would take the chance to get drunk that evening, but he only sat in one of Bobby's couches, with his little lady sitting on his knee, lifting her up and down. Smiling. The little girl giggling and laughing, her green eyes shining the way they always did when she looked up to her daddy.  
˝Do you think he'll manage?˝ A little worried Sam asked Bobby.  
˝I don't know, boy˝ was all his answer.  
˝Looks like he's happy, although˝ observed Jo. Only one of them looked at the dad and his girl with approval.  
˝He'll do alright˝ said Ellen. ˝He'll protect her with his life.˝  
˝He's already done the same with me. Hasn't turned out completely nice˝ Sam reminded her.  
˝But you're still breathing, Sam. Aren't you? And in the end of the day, that's all that matters.˝  
Dean was in his very own world, humming Bon Jovi's love songs to Samantha, cradling her to sleep. He loved her so, so much. She was his little miracle, the one he deserved the less. Less than being dragged from hell. He had been through awful things, done things that were even more terrible to his eyes, but yet, he had this chance. This very chance to do something remarkably right. Samantha was his chance and he'd protect her, and he'd raise her rightfully. He'll fight away potential boyfriends and scare her dates when they were at her doorstep. He would make her a normal, happy girl; with easy to solve, normal problems. And she would only worry about college and his dad scaring her dates. And she would only care about homework and the prom dance dress. He hugged his quiet, always calm daughter, and whispered to her.  
˝You saw that terrible monster today, didn't you, Sammy? And you were truly brave, so brave, you did not even frown. But don't worry. I'll always protect you, Sammy. Dad will always be there to fight the monsters away, I promise.˝


	3. A house to call a home

**Chapter 3: A house to call a home.**

They were all sleeping. Sam snoring softly, Dean hugging his daughter, protecting her even in their sleep. He sighed sadly. He would give anything for them, to see them away from the mess they would see themselves in. But orders were orders. He was so deeply lost in his thoughts he didn't notice Samantha had woken up, and was looking at him, so quiet, so still. He was surprised, that was no ordinary child. She was hungry, and he knew somehow. He looked around, and we he found the kitchen he boiled some water, mixed it with some cold water and milk powders in a feeding bottle. He took the baby from the bed, and held her in his arms while feeding her. Samantha drank from the feeding bottle without making a sound, and he cradled her for a while. She was such a nice baby, such a nice human. He was gladly surprised.  
That was when Dean woke up. At first he didn't notice something strange, but then he realised Samantha was no longer with him, and he saw the strange figure standing in front of his bed. He was holding Samantha.  
˝Who are you?˝ He asked confused, scared. _He has Sammy_.  
˝Don't be afraid.˝ He answered.  
˝Of course. Because watching me sleep and steal my daughter from the bed while we're all asleep is not creepy enough for me to put my guard up˝ Dean said.  
˝I won't harm her. She was hungry, and did not seem to want to wake you up.˝  
˝How could you know? Who are you?˝  
˝I'm Castiel, an angel of the Lord.˝  
Dean was completely shocked. There were not such things as angels.  
˝Yeah, and I'm Barney the dinosaur.˝  
˝What?˝  
˝Forget it. Who are you for real?˝  
˝I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.˝  
˝I'm sorry then, but I don't believe you. I've never seen such things as angels.˝  
˝You have so little faith...˝  
˝Why would I, if he exists, matter anything to the man upstairs?˝  
˝You... you don't think you deserved to be saved.˝ Said Castiel, sad, pitying Dean and his low self-esteem, comprehending it somehow.  
˝No, I... I don't. There's better people in this world. I just kill demons. Why save me?˝ Dean could not believe he was chosen in any way.  
˝Because we've got work for you.˝ And Castiel was gone. And Sammy was at his side, and everything would've just been a creepy dream if it weren't for Samantha, who was still holding her feeding bottle.

˝You're not safe at those motels, not anymore˝ said Bobby while they were reading books and more books.  
˝You built a panic room?˝ Sam asked when they first came into the completely demons/ghosts/evil proof basement room.  
˝I had a weekend off˝ was all Bobby's explanation.  
Now, they were standing there with Ellen, while Bobby checked one book after another. Sam was helping him. Jo was in a case, so she couldn't make it.  
˝You just can't keep dragging her around from motel to motel˝ opined Ellen. ˝A kid shouldn't grow up like that, specially if you intend to give her a normal life.˝  
˝Then what? Sending her to live with you? Leaving her here with Bobby?˝ Dean exclaimed. ˝No offense, I know either of you could perfectly take care of her, but she's my daughter, and I won't leave her behind. I'll take care of her, and I'll raise her myself.˝  
˝We could always get a house of our own˝ Sam suggested.  
˝So every evil thing we've ever known has a clear spot to find us?˝ Dean replied.  
˝Well, you can make it safe˝ Bobby added.  
˝And then what? Keep her there like some sort of Rapunzel?˝  
˝She wouldn't need to be some kind of prisoner. We just got to find a safe town. A town free from evil.˝ Sam kept saying.  
˝And which would that town be?˝ Dean demanded. As they were driving away, he wished he hadn't asked so.

˝Celina, Tennessee?˝ Asked Dean sceptically, when Sam woke him up in the car.  
˝Yeah, Celina.˝  
˝And why specifically would I want my daughter to live here, again?˝  
˝Because there's this river, the Obey River, that's bewitched to keep spirits and other evil things away from this town. And you can do some little things to make this town safe enough. It's a small town, it shouldn't be so difficult. We could free Samantha, she could get rid of our lives.˝  
˝You sure?˝  
˝I don't know. But it's the best shot we've got, and neither of us wants Samantha harmed.˝  
˝Maybe you do˝ Dean said. ˝She stole your nickname after all, _Sammy_.˝ Sam just made a face. He was not in the mood.

They were building that house for more than a year. They built it piece by piece, room by room. It was a magnificent house. Salt in every wall; floor, doors and furniture of palo santo, a beautiful basement panic room, and a panic room with most modest looks on the attic, and on the second floor —Samantha's room, when she turned two. Until then, it was a nice playing room.  
The kitchen was full of iron and silver, every window and glass engraved with protecting symbols, very tiny, almost invisible. Just a little scratch. A marvelous two-sided library, Sam's idea. One public side with "normal" books, for Sammy to read. Another secret side with a good hunter library. A game room for Dean, a nice pool table, a wooden bar. And finally, a secret panic room, hidden in the attic. Just to be completely sure.  
The day they moved in, dean would never want lo leave Bobby's because, although they had made the house completely safe, as well with the town, which they surrounded with a ten-feet buried iron cable, which later they used across the town to turn the circle into a powerful pentagram; he still was of the idea that having a clear, easy spot for all demons, ghosts, witches, vampires, shape shifters, etc. to get him or his daughter (or both of them), was not a good plan.  
But this was it. He had managed to turn a panic room into a two years old girl's bedroom, and to make a panic room in the attic no babysitter in the world would find strange. After all, he might need one. A very, very human one, from time to time.  
Of course they had to celebrate for the new house, but that night it was just them. Sam had insisted he could not live in that house. For Sammy, for Dean. If they were going to fake a normal life for the little girl, it was no good for him to live there too. So he was working, for Dean's petition, on a little house of his own. But he'd still live in motels, on the road.  
Even that way, Dean would not just have it, and made two guests rooms, one clearly for his brother. And there was sleeping Sam later that night. They were sitting on the only sofa available in the house. Dean had some furniture left to add to the house, but is was a cosy, comfortable house. Most hunters could've not told it was Dean Winchester's house. And that was sort of the plan. Yet there was who could tell it was his house, and could tell he was in it at the moment, and came around to talk, when Sam left for a beer.  
˝Dean˝ said the visitor with its deep, low voice. Dean creeped out. He definitely could not like that thingy of the "angel" coming out of nowhere. This was the second time and it was completely creepy.  
˝What do you want?˝ Dean asked.  
˝I told you. We have work for you.˝  
˝Work for me? Dude, I want nothing to do with you. How are you even here?˝  
˝We've already been through this. I'm Castiel, an angel of the Lord.˝  
˝Dude, I can't believe that crap. There's not such thing as angels. If they existed, they wouldn't go around in some crappy trench coat. Don't you think?˝ Dean protested. Castiel pushed him back.  
˝I went to hell and pulled you assbutt out of the pit, and I can as well undo it. You should speak to me with more respect.˝  
Sam came around just then, knife in hand, but it was too late, Castiel was gone.  
˝So that was an angel?˝  
˝Surprised?˝  
˝Better disappointed. I thought they'd be different.˝  
˝I'm sorry your faithful dreams were destroyed. So what do we do now?˝  
˝What do you mean?˝  
˝Well, those sons of bitches are after us and, clearly, they can follow us here. I won't put my daughter under any risk.˝  
˝Of course we're not. But Samantha is safer here than anywhere else.˝  
˝What do you know? You're not her father.˝  
˝I'm her uncle. I'm her family as well.˝  
˝It's not the same, you wouldn't understand.˝  
˝No, I'm clearly not understanding here. I don't know what's wrong with you, Dean. I'm not her father, but I want what's best for her too, and apparently I'm the one thinking here. She's safer in this town. Here only angels can get her. Out there angels and every evil thing we've ever hunted can get her. So let's calm down and figure out what's happening, before we freak out and fly around the country as easy targets.˝  
˝Yeah, and if we stay here, then what are we going to do? Start asking advice to demons? Your precious friend Ruby, for example?˝ Sam changed his expression.  
˝I told you I was done seeing her. You went to hell not wanting me to dig more on that stuff. So I didn't.˝  
˝You sure?˝  
˝I'm sure. Just, calm down. Look, I'll go to the store, bring you some pie, you call Bobby and we'll figure this out. But, Dean.˝  
˝What?˝  
˝Samantha's fine. She'll be alright.˝ And she was indeed alright when he came to his room that night.  
Sam toom off for some pie and beer, but he didn't return quickly. Because there, in the shadows outside the highway market, a beautiful brunette was waiting up for him.


	4. Education

˝How long have you been doing this, Sam?!˝ Exclaimed Dean.  
˝You don't understand, Dean.˝  
˝What don't I understand Sam? You keeping secrets from me? You working on your tricky mojo even when you told me you were never going down that road again? Or is it your relationship with your evil demon girlfriend? Because last time I checked, we were working our asses off to send all these sons of bitches back to hell.˝  
˝But Dean, listen to me...˝  
˝Listen? There's a whole bunch of demons there who may know exactly where we are, and I don't know how I am supposed to keep my daughter safe because, in case you've forgotten, you're not the only one I have to look after, Sam. I remind you Samantha, my daughter, who happens to be also your niece, is upstairs sleeping, doing her best to live the life she's gotten. I barely see her, Sam. My daughter is three years old and I've only been able to see her no more than half that time. Rushed and tough Christmases and birthdays. I wanted to give her a normal, happy life, not this. And you walk around with your demon girl working on whatever power it is you've got when we've learnt the hard way that demons only want to screw us big time. So, tell me Sam, what am I supposed to understand or listen? What am I missing?˝  
˝It's just that Ruby is not like other demons, Dean.˝  
˝Demons lie, Sam.˝  
˝But Ruby doesn't.˝  
˝What makes you so sure?˝ Dean was so worried, what was he supposed to do now?  
˝She saved my life, Dean.˝  
But Dean would have no more of that. He was tired— worried. This wasn't the first time Sam lied to him, but now his daughter was in the middle of all that crap with them, and he could not take it anymore— he just couldn't.  
˝I've had enough. We'll talk about this tomorrow, ok? Now get out, Sam.˝  
˝But Dean...˝  
˝Get out!˝ He shouted, but Sam was already gone. He'd got it from Dean's expression.  
Dean'd gone to his daughter's bedroom. They'd painted a dozen symbols on Samantha's walls, ceiling and floor, with paint only visible under black light. The windows had little scratches: protection symbols carved into the glass.  
Since those were practically invisible details, Sammy's room was pretty much normal.  
The door's wall was white, the one opposite to the windows. The windows' wall was painted with a light, warm, reddish pink, the same color of the tiny roses on the wallpaper that covered the last wall available— the fourth one was a wall-wide closet.  
He had been very careful while building the house, but he had been specially careful with Samantha's room. Everything in that room had been made by himself, the desk, the chairs, the tea table. He'd had the idea of giving it a high ceiling, so he could put her bed on a second level, and she could use all the space in the first level of her room. It even had a firepole for her to slide down for fun. Entering the room you could find the closet to the left and the second-leveled bed to the right. Under the bed there was a carpet and the shelves and boxes where Samantha had her toys. There was a little table and chairs, with a teapot and cups, and a little radio.  
In front of you, from the door, in the right corner, were the wall-high windows that led to a balcony and right next to them, to catch the light, was the handmade desk. Over it, a shelf collected Sammy's favorite books so far. All of them read by Dean before putting her to sleep.  
He went up the ladder to sit in the tight margin between Sammy's bed and the low fence that protected her from falling. It got wider to the firepole, although. He watched her sleep for a while. She seemed so normal, although she had barely escaped the dark truths of this world over these three years. Yet she was always so silent, like if she knew something.  
˝Daddy?˝ Her voice took him by surprise, pulling him out of his trance.  
˝What is it, sweetheart?˝ Dean replied immediately.  
˝You seem worried. There something I can help with?˝ She mumbled, sleepy.  
˝Don't worry Sammy, it's nothing. You'll see how I'm better tomorrow.˝  
˝Okay, but don't ask too much of yourself, daddy. You just one man.˝ Dean smiled, surprised. His daughter probably didn't even know what she was saying, yet she was, in fact, helping him a bit.  
˝I promise, Sammy. Now go back to sleep.˝  
˝Sing to me˝ she demanded.  
˝All right˝ said Dean, before he started muttering "Hey Jude", leaning one hand forward, to take his daughter's hair off of her face. She fell asleep quickly, and Dean couldn't help but think that that was how angels should be and look like.

The next morning, Dean got a text instead of Sam knocking on his door while he gave Samantha breakfast. He was asking him to meet him in a motel in the outskirts to town. The thought made him uneasy. He didn't want to go out of town with Sammy, and he had no one to look after her. Ellen was always happy to, but he had to tell her at least the day before. He decided she was safer with him wherever she was, so he took her to her baby seat in the back of the Impala. She smiled at him. She always did. She didn't speak that much, although she had learned to talk by the time she was around eleven months. Her first word had been "daddy". Dean had almost cried then. He'd noticed she made her words count. and indeed she did, because when Dean got in the car, she asked him whether he had eaten something. He had forgotten his breakfast, so he ran into the house and fixed himself a quick sandwich, before getting into his car, handing his daughter a little milk box and a bag of cookies— a snack for later. When they got to the motel, they got off the car, and Sammy gave her dad her hand, before he could even ask for it. It was like she knew exactly what she had to do, and _she_ was the one making sure he did what he was supposed to. They walked towards the room Sam had pointed out in the text message. They knocked, or more exactly, Sammy knocked, following Dean's instructions, smiling proud of herself when her uncle opened the door.  
˝Uncle Sam!˝ She said jumping to her uncle's arms, who lifted her swiftly and turned her around in laughter, before he put her back on the floor. She was all smiles to her uncle, yet her dad was definitely not smiling to him. Sam collected himself and said ˝maybe we could leave Sammy inside, I have a colouring book for her, and we can talk outside.˝  
˝Yeah, maybe we can talk outside˝ he agreed. ˝Sammy, sweetie, could you please wait here working on the colouring book uncle Sam got you while we discuss work-related stuff outside? It won't take long. After that we can go to the supermarket and buy things to bake this afternoon. Deal?˝  
˝Deal˝ she accepted. She took the colour pencils and the colouring book on the night table and started her mission as her dad and uncle walked out of the room.  
˝So here's your chance, Sam˝ Dean said. ˝Say whatever you want to say, and I'll listen.˝  
˝Okay, so listen to me˝ Sam began. ˝I have no shame of what I've been doing, I've been helping people. And Ruby saved my life. I was a total disaster after you died, Dean. She came around, lifted me up and put me back on the track. She's taught me a lot. If I am here right now, I owe that to her.˝  
˝Oh, and let me guess. You were so proud of this, you were lying to me all this time because you didn't want to brag about it.˝  
˝Well, no. But I didn't tell you because you'd react like this.˝  
˝React like what?˝ Asked Dean, fear in his eyes.  
˝Like that! The way you look at me. Like I'm some kind of freak.˝  
˝Sam, you're a freak. We both are. But what you're doing is not right. Do you think dad would've liked this? Mom? Jessica? We kill demons the way we always have. The way dad taught us.˝  
˝The knife kills the victim, Dean. With my powers, most of them survive.˝  
˝Well, well, look what we've got here. Isn't it Dean-back-from-hell-Winchester? I should by a lottery ticket.˝ Interrupted Ruby, two beer bottles in her hands. ˝I thought of getting you a drink, but I only brought two, you didn't tell me we were having company.˝  
Dean was tense all over. The way he saw it, Ruby was another demon, just like the rest, and whatever she knew, damn right the rest of hell may know as well. He didn't think Sam had told her about Sammy, yet his daughter was right there, inside the room, colouring drawings on the night table.  
˝You know I'm really hard to kill˝ Dean replied.  
˝What dragged you from hell, Winchester?˝ Ruby asked.  
˝They say they're angels.˝  
˝So it's true˝ Ruby said, her eyes glittering panicky.  
˝Don't you like them?˝ Dean mocked her, she just ignored him.  
˝I gotta go˝ she told Sam. ˝I left nothing of mine in the room, see you.˝  
˝I gotta go too˝ Dean excused himself when Ruby was out of sight.  
˝What are you gonna do?˝ Sam tried.  
˝Apparently, thanks to you, I'm baking this afternoon.˝  
˝You don't know how to bake, Dean.˝ Dean just acted like Sam'd said nothing.  
˝Pie, Sam. We're baking pie. And in the evening I have babysitter interviews.˝

He was so happy to take his daughter to the supermarket, back in town, where it was safe. She was sitting on the shopping cart, taking everything they needed into it. He'd called Ellen on their way to the supermarket, asking for a pie recipe. Ellen would've made it more difficult for him to get it, but since it was for baking with Samantha, she was very nice and didn't play around with him.  
Sammy was very happy, she always was, always when he was around, like she'd missed him a lot. He felt so sorry for not being able to just walk out of his hunter life. He'd love to take care of her everyday. Wake her up, give her breakfast, play with her and make her lunch. He always wondered whether she was happy for real or not. Whether she smiled around him just for him not to worry. But then he always remembered she was just a three year old girl, and although she'd proved herself pretty smart, he didn't think she's trouble herself with such a complicated matter as it was to smile just to make him happy.  
He liked the simplicity of his relationship with his daughter. If they were happy, they smiled or laughed. If something did not please them, they would say so, and everything would be said or expressed. No secrets, no lies.  
When they were going through the toy section, he asked her whether she wanted something. She shook her head, declining.  
˝Awh, come on, Sammy. Pick up something you like.˝ He stared at the shelves. ˝Look, there's these dolls, and they look _very real_. And there's these... uh... ponies? Why would a pony be called Twilight Sparkle? Who makes these toys?˝ He wondered out loud. All the toys Samantha had, had been gifts, and none of them out of her expressed desire. He felt like giving something to her, something of her own choice.  
Samantha looked at the shelves now her father was doing his best to get her interested in getting something. Her eyes went all over the corridor, moving fast over the pink and girly stuff and getting stuck in the boyish stuff. She caught special interest in the cars.  
˝I want cars˝ she vowed.  
˝Cars?˝ Dean repeated to himself, skeptically, thinking of Hot Wheels' cars.  
˝Those˝ she insisted, pointing to some radio-controled cars. Dean got them closer to them and picked up one to give it a closer look. They were scale sportive cars, all carefully detailed, absolutely wonderful for being just cheap supermarket toys.  
˝Which one?˝ He demanded.  
˝Blue˝ she replied.  
The blue one was a fine stylized Audi, soft curves, aerodinamic shape. Second best choice, according to him, who preferred the red Mustang over them all. Yet he had to admit his daughter had a good taste. He smiled, proud. He kept on looking to the car Sammy had chosen, whispering ˝look at you, baby˝ with the glimmering eyes of a five year old. ˝Great choice, Sammy. I'm so proud of you. You're definitely your old man's girl. Now, I can't get you just a car so please pick up something from the pink and shiny, although I know you don't like it so much.˝  
˝Why can't you?˝  
˝Because I want you to pick something that pleases just you. Not the both of us.˝  
˝But I like cars.˝  
˝And so do I. But that's my point. I'm still getting you the car, but pick something more.˝  
She looked at the shelves again, with a tired look. She found, yet, something girly that caught her interest.  
˝That one˝ she said, pointing at a teddy cat. It was a black cat, with green eyes and a red ribbon around its neck.  
˝A cat?˝ Dean asked, incredulous.  
˝They're cute, meow˝ she replied.  
˝Yeah, meow˝ he said, taking the teddy cat, giving it a queer look, not convinced at all by his daughter's argument.

They reached the house and Dean almost had a heart attack when he saw someone sitting in the kitchen. Luckily for him, it was just Jo.  
˝I heard you're baking this afternoon˝ Jo commented.  
˝How did you get in? You have no keys˝ Dean said, half impressed, half scared.  
˝Oh, come on Dean. Don't be such a scared girl. I'm a hunter, sure I can pick a lock or two.˝  
˝Don't talk about hunting with Sammy around.˝ Dean warned her, and Jo rolled her eyes. Sammy was still holding her dad's hand, until she realised who was sitting in the kitchen.  
˝Aunt Jo!˝ She exclaimed, letting go immediately of Dean's hand, running to Jo, who hugged her with a great smile. Dean felt strange, his hand suddenly empty.  
˝Hey, sunshine. How are you?˝  
˝I'm fine. Dad says we're baking pie˝ their voices were echoes to Dean, who came back from his daydreaming to focus on Jo in his kitchen.  
˝Ohh, delicious˝ she smiled to Sammy. ˝Since when do you know how to bake?˝ She asked Dean.  
˝Why does everybody keep on asking me that? I don't. But I have a recipe. It can't be that difficult.˝ He explained, putting the bags over the kitchen's table. Sammy looked back at him, longing for her toys. He smiled and gave her the car and the teddy cat. She went to her bedroom, probably to put the cat somewhere.  
˝Who could've told you were father material˝ Jo teased him, picking a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water.  
˝Why are you here, Jo?˝ He asked not meaning to be impolite, putting the groceries in the fridge.  
˝Can't I just take a peek on my goddaughter?˝ she excused herself, and Dean smiled.  
˝And for real?˝ Jo changed into a more serious expression.  
˝You know, I've been hunting a demon these past few days, and I heard some rumors. I just wanted to make sure you two were okay. How's Sam by the way?˝  
˝He... he's okay˝ he said with a struggled voice. ˝Which rumors did you hear?˝  
˝Well, you know they were planning on freeing Lucifer from the cage and starting the Apocalypse.˝  
˝Yeah, but they haven't.˝  
˝Exactly. They haven't. It's been three years, and they're not any closer to unleashing the Apocalypse than they were three years ago. By now we should all be dead. The Apocalypse should've already taken place and it hasn't happened. Demons have been very careful too. So when I got the demon I was hunting I didn't miss the opportunity to make a few questions. Turns out there's a new power. A power that can make a difference in all these plans both Heaven and hell had.˝  
˝And how does that have anything to do with us?˝ he wanted to know, he was a little scared. It's okay if Heaven or hell mentioned him. But not Sammy. Not his daughter.  
˝Because after the straight information, the demon started mumbling nonsense, yet some of this nonsense made sense. "The blood of the Winchester. It was not supposed to exist blood from him. The descendant must be destroyed." As far as I know, you and Sam have no relatives alive. And there's only one descendant from any of you.˝  
˝Sammy˝ he muttered. No, not his daughter.  
˝Precisely, Samantha. Have you talked to your feathered boyfriend yet?˝  
˝To who?˝  
˝Castiel. The freaking angel.˝  
˝Yeah, but he's lately with this buddy of his, Uriel, and that one gives me the creeps. And the only thing they have to say of late is to keep Sam away from that demon bitch. Like if I didn't already know that.˝  
Sammy came back then, with her radio-controled car in her hands. Jo took her to sit in her lap while helping her take the car out of its box.  
˝Second matter. I came here to inform you that our lady here is to start preschool˝ Jo announced.  
˝What?˝ Dean couldn't believe it. ˝You just told me that thing from before and you want to send her to preschool? Are you nuts?˝  
˝Nope. I'm respecting your wishes. You said you wanted her to have a happy normal life, and it's okay. But I'm not letting you screw that by doing it half way "to keep her safe". One way or another, she will always be in some kind of danger. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but you can't protect her from all of them. So at least I want her to be able to face the normal world. There's a nice preschool ten minutes by foot from here. Next block to you— if you weren't so antisocial, you would've noticed you have neighbors with a daughter same age as our girl here. All of them, the people in the preschool and your neighbors both very human and very harmless. Oh, and you better hurry with that pie of yours because I invited your neighbors over. And don't worry. They know I'm a family friend and nothing else.˝  
˝Why would it worry me for them to think you're anything of mine?˝  
˝You wouldn't. I mean, I'm great, but I have a reputation to protect.˝ Dean just grinned, and Jo finally unleashed the car from the box.  
˝You heard that, Sammy? You're gonna have a friend over, and you're going to preschool with her.˝ She told Samantha.  
˝Nice˝ she said. ˝What's her name?˝  
˝Noelle's her name, darling. Noelle Thorne.˝


End file.
